Amid appeals for bipartisanship, President Barack Obama in just three days has provoked Republicans on issues as disparate as immigration, Wall Street and the Keystone XL pipeline — a combative mix of defense and offense that underscores Washington'...

WASHINGTON If you've been remiss in cleaning out your email inbox, here's some incentive: The federal government can read any emails that are more than six months old without a warrant.
Little known to most Americans, ambiguous language in a...

North Carolina's gas tax would quickly fall if Republican legislation that won initial state Senate approval Wednesday becomes law. But it's expected to fall even lower if the legislature leaves the tax formula alone, prompting some to call the GOP...

Let's hope the next man or woman Idaho executes by chemical injection doesn't end up like the following:
•Joseph R. Wood III, who gasped and snorted for almost two hours before Arizona prison officials pronounced him dead last July.
•Clayton...

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When it convenes Jan. 6, the Republican-controlled 114th Congress will bring a wave of reinforcements to enhance the clout of President Obama's antagonists.
But it remains to be seen whether that will set the stage for two years of continuing conflict or open a door to compromise as both parties seek to lay the groundwork for the 2016 presidential race. Here is a look at eight lawmakers who will probably play key roles in the 2015 congressional battles.
The hard-liners: Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas...

Imagine if you ran a business but you didn't tell your customers exactly what they would be charged for your products or services until nearly the end of the year. Well, you don't have to work your imagination too hard because that's essentially what Congress just did. In one of their last actions before adjournment on Tuesday, Senators approved the extension of some 50 temporary tax breaks that President Barack Obama is expected to sign into law.
The decision represents neither a big breakthrough nor a...

The Senate moved closer Friday to passing a $1.1 trillion bill to fund almost all of the government through most of 2015. But detractors on the left and the right were likely to delay final approval of the sweeping measure.
The opponents, who have been holding out for a chance to amend the legislation, have been shut down by Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nevada, and held little chance of scuttling the omnibus spending bill, which must pass quickly to avoid a government shutdown. But they prompted...

Mike Lee Photos

WASHINGTON — A new show has opened on Capitol Hill, and, with any luck, it will have a long run.
It's called "The Taming of the Cruz."
Grenade-launching Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas took a familiar position of obstruction last week: He called on conservatives to fight any bill that funds President Obama's immigration actions — even if this provokes a standoff that leads to a government shutdown.
"Just about every Republican candidate in the country campaigned saying, 'If you elect us, we...

Customized TV Listings are available here: www.latimes.com/tvtimes
Click here to download
TV listings for the week of Nov. 16 - 22, 2014 in PDF format
This week's TV Movies
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SERIES
The Pioneer Woman In a new Thanksgiving-themed episode, host Ree Drummond reveals the sides she serves as accompaniments to the main dishes on her holiday table. 9:30 a.m. Food
Hell on Wheels Cullen (Anson Mount) struggles with Ruth's (Kasha Kropinski) decision in this new episode. 9 p.m....

The Sunday morning lineup of guests:
Sen. Al Franken, D-Minn., and Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., talk to "State of the Union" at 9 a.m. and noon on CNN. A panel on Obama and immigration features Rep. Xavier Becerra, D-Calif.; Alberto Gonzales, former attorney general in the George W. Bush administration; and former Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, D-Los Angeles. The panel will be S.E. Cupp, LZ Granderson and Penny Lee.
Jon Stewart and Maziar Bahari discuss "Rosewater" on "Fareed Zakaria GPS" at 10 a.m. and...